Safe PWC Riding Tips

With the weather brightening up, PWC season is upon us! It’s time to gear up and get your personal watercraft ready for more summer weekends of riding and exploring. However, if you’re going to be spending any time offshore, there are a few safety tips you should brush up on before your first trip. There are other boaters to watch out for, rules and regulations to abide, and of course, the potential danger associated with operating any marine vehicle. With this guide from Sky Powersports, you’ll have a good primer for another season of great riding. But if you still need a craft, feel free to stop by our dealership in Lakeland, FL to browse our inventory of Sea-Doo® and other PWC.

Prepare at Home

You wouldn’t drive a car that’s not functioning properly, so why would you take a chance on a PWC? Before any excursion to the water, inspect your Sea-Doo® for any mechanical flaws. If there are loose connections or damage to the hull, you could be putting yourself at risk out there. Inspect your craft from top to bottom, and if you notice anything amiss, make sure you get it fixed up before riding it. Sure, the shop might not be your favorite place, but it’s better to spend some cash on repairs that put yourself in danger while on the water.

Check the Gear

Riding any machine on any body of water requires safety gear, so create a list of everything you need. The PWC should be equipped with a whistle or horn. That way, you can signal to other riders in case of emergency. Also make sure every person on board has a life jacket, and it’s not a bad idea to bring a first aid kit as well. Finally, even though you have a horn or whistle, a radio’s another useful tool for signalling to shore.

Launching Safely

You’re not the only person at the marina looking for a good time, so you’ll need to learn how to be respectful of other riders. Keep in mind that not everyone has an engine, so even though your Sea-Doo® can rocket off the ramp, someone else might need to take their time paddling away. The best thing you can do is simply wait your turn. If another rider has been waiting longer than you, let them go first and don’t take off until they’re out of your way. Once you have a clear path and it’s your turn, you can take off, but don’t hit more than quarter throttle until you get more than a hundred feet offshore.

General Rules and Regulations

There are different rules for every body of water you go to, but start by abiding the general ones. In Florida, you need to have a personal watercraft license and recreational marine driver license in order to ride. If you don’t have one of these someone on board needs to be licensed. That way, they can safely take charge if you run into any problems. Of course, if you plan to carry passengers, you can only operate the personal watercraft if you’re the license holder.

Emergencies

Emergencies can happen anywhere, and they can be especially devastating on the water. Because of this, prepare yourself by putting a safety lanyard on the ignition. This should be attached to your wrist or life vest, so if you fall overboard, the motor will shut off before doing any damage. If you or anyone are hurt while on board, signal for help with your horn, whistle, or radio. You can help them out with the first aid kit until help comes, but the important part is to wait with your personal watercraft until someone else arrives.

With the impulse to ride a PWC, you always need to maintain an attitude of safety. There’s a lot that could happen out on the water, but if you learn to prepare properly, ride respectfully, and act appropriately in emergency situations, you’ll have no problem preventing potential hazards. But you can’t get on the water in the first place if you still don’t have a personal watercraft, so come on into Sky Powersports of Lakeland, FL to check out our selection of Sea-Doo® and other watercraft!